The Nation

A House-Senate conference committee agreed to transfer the title of Mitch Snyder's homeless shelter from the federal government to the city and award $1.5 million in renovation money. Snyder, the prominent social activist who staged several hunger strikes to press for renovation money, said the extra funds were needed to repair the rat-infested shelter, located just blocks from the U.S. Capitol. "We are grateful to Congress for the extra money," said Snyder. "It means we'll have to raise less money ourselves. Raising money in Washington is not an easy thing to do."